Closure for molded pulp containers



Se t. 7, 1937. R. D. HEYMANN CLOSURE FOR MOLDED PULP CONTAINERS Filed Sept. 28 1954 J. Hey/12am ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 7, 1937 PATENT OFFICE CLOSURE FOR MOLDED PULP CONTAINERS Roy D. Heymann, Woodbridge, Conn., assignor,

by mcsne assignments, to Pulp Products Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application September 28, 1934, Serial No. 745,895

3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to closures and more particularly to metal closures for sealing containers made of molded pulp.

More specifically, the invention relates to a one-piece metal cap or closure for a molded pulp bottle having a neck portion terminating in a restricted circular mouth. Such a bottle may comprise, generally speaking, a container made of molded paper pulp having a generally square base, a body portion of generally square crosssection, said body portion terminating in a truncated cone to form the neck and mouth.

A molded pulp container, so constructed, is admirably suited, when lined with a proper coating, for motor oils and has found rapid accept- Thisready acceptance has ance in the trade. been due largely to the fact that this bottle lends itself to the desirable end of thwarting the sales of substituted or inferior products.

. In acccmplishing this desirable result, the invention comprehends a one-piece metal cap for the mouth of the molded pulp bottle which is easily applied and sealed or crimped to form a leakproof closure. At the same time, the cap, when sealed on to the bottle, although tightly squeezing the molded pulp walls of the neck, does not appreciably cut into the wall and thereby render it weaker. Rather, the cap structure provided by the invention strengthens and reinforces the neck. Still further, the cap may be removed by tearing the molded pulp neck by a simple motion of the hands. Simultaneously with tearing the bottle in this manner to produce a discharge,

opening, the bottle is very effectively rendered unfit for further practical use.

According to one form of the invention, the cap may comprise a cup portion'designed to fit snugly within the mouth of the bottle and an annular apron extending from the cup and fitting the outside of the wall of the neck. The apron terminates in an annular flange extending at approximately right-angles from the apron before the cap is sealed on the neck, but, upon the sealing process, is rolled against the apron to serve multifold purposes, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages, and the manner in which it may be .carried out, may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connecpart thereof, in which a v Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of a bottle having the cap sealed thereon;

Fig. 2 is a view in cross-section showing the cap before sealing;

Fig. 3 is a view in cross-section showing the cap sealed on the bottle; and

Fig. 4 is a top view in part of the-bottle and cap.

In the following description and in the claims, various details will be indentified by specific names for convenience, but they are intended to be as generic in their application as the art will permit.

Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing, It indicates the molded pulp bottle having a neck portion H in the form of atruncated. cone. The one-piece cap l2 comprises a cup portion having a circular bottom l3 and a substantially vertical annular side wall [4. Extending from the vertical side wall I4 is a curved portion l5 adapted to fit over the rim of the mouth of the molded pulp neck as indicated at I8.

Extending downwardly from the curved portion I5 is an annular apron [6 which is in concentric spaced relation with the annular side wall and spaced therefrom a distance slightly more than the thickness of the wall of the neck of the bottle. The annular apron I6 is disposed at an angle from the vertical slightly, in this particular instance, about 9, inasmuch as there is a slight i taper in the walls of the neck of the bottle. The taper in the apron facilitates positioning the cap on the neck of the bottle preparatory to sealing.

The annular apron l6 terminates in an angular flange I! which is disposed generally from the apron at an angle of, roughly, 90.

When it is desired to seal the bottle with the cap, it is placed with the cup portion inserted in the mouth of the bottle, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing. A chuck, shown diagrammatically by dotted lines i9, is inserted in the cup portion. The flange I1 is crimped or rolled against the apron portion, as indicated at M, by means of a roller or crimper, indicated diagrammatically by dotted lines 20. It will be noted that as pressure is exerted against the flange I! it is ironed against the apron l6 and ultimately the apron I6 is crimped or rolled by continued pressure in a direction toward the center of the bottle neck. The annular side wall ll of the cup aided by the chuck l9 forms a rigid buttress and the molded pulp wall is squeezed or pressed between the outside of the side wall M of the cup portion and the inside of the apron It, thus forming a leak-proof seal between the cap and bottle, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The rounded edge formed-by ironing the flange i1 5 against the apron l8 does not cut into the bottle but merely presses the molded pulp, yet the apron grips the neck, particularly at the locus of the annular ring or rib formed by the flange l1. 10 In selecting a metal for forming the cap, the

proper thickness of sheet-metal must be determined because if the sheet is too heavy too much temper is imparted to the metal by the crimping or rolling action. Hence, unless the metal is of proper thickness, difllculty arises in practice in crimping the cap, inasmuch as a splitting is likely to result if the metal is too heavy and, if too thin, the cap will not be sufilciently rigid. One form of cap which is suitable for an oil bottle may be of bright iron plate approximately 0.007 inch in thickness. This has been found suitable for a cap having the following specifications: a cup portion measuring inch from the inside bottom of the cup to the uppermost portion of the curved part I5, and an outside diameter of 1.394 inches-1.400 inches; the distance from the uppermost portion of the curved part to the flange I'l measures inch; the width of the flange I1 is approximately inch. Such a cap has the proper temper for crimping, produces a rigid structure when sealed on the bottle and does not crack or'split.

After the cap has been sealed to the bottle, it may be removed by simply tearing oi! the upper part of the neck of the bottle. Removal of the cap without mutilation of the neck of the bottle is practically impossible. The tear is easily made between the ridges 22 and 23 on the neck. Thus, a discharge opening is easily made for emptying the -contents of the. bottle and, at the same time, the bottle is so mutilated as to be useless for any further practical purposes as an oil dispenser.

It is seen from the foregoing description that a very simple, cheaply manufactured closure device may be produced for a molded pulp bottle. It is easily applied, easily crimped, and forms a leak-proof seal. raw edges which cut into the pulp wall, but, rather, a rounded finished. rib portion results which strengthens the neck and cap structure. The cap is easily removed, but, simultaneously with the removal, the bottle is rendered impractical for further use.

While certain novel features of the invention have been disclosed and are pointed out in the annexed claims,

various omissions, substitutions and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a bottle formed from molded pulp fibres and having a wall defining a Furthermore, there are no it will be understood that reduced neck surrounding an open mouth, of a one piece, thin metal cap comprising a cup portion having a'cylindrical side wall lying against the inner face of said bottle wall, a rim overlying the edge of said bottle wall, an apron depending from said rim and overlying the outer face of said bottle wall, and ahead rolled outwardly and against the outer face of said apron, ,said apron being curved inwardly substantially throughout its height to indent the adjacent portion of said bottle wall and lock said cap on said bottle to thereby prevent removal of the cap except upon mutilation of said bottle, said apron being curved inwardly sufliciently to prevent said bead from projecting laterally beyond said rimbut on a sufficiently long radius to prevent any substantial weakening of the bottle wall.

2. The combination with a bottle formed from molded pulp fibres and having a wall defining a reduced neck surrounding an open mouth, of a one piece, thin metal cap comprising a cup portion having a cylindrical side wall lying against the inner face of said bottle wall, a rim overlying the edge of said bottle wall, an apron depending from said rim and overlying the outer face of said bottle wall, and theedge of said apron being rolled outwardly and back against the outer face of said apron to provide a bead, said bead being of such diameter that said apron is curved inwardly substantially throughout its height to indent the adjacent portion of said bottle wall and lock said cap on said bottle to thereby prevent removal of the cap except upon mutilation of said bottle, said apron being curved inwardly sufliciently to prevent said bead from projecting laterally beyond said rim but on a sufliciently long the inner face of said bottle wall, a rim overlying the edge of said bottle wall, an apron depending from said rim and overlying the outer face of said bottle wall, and a bead rolled outwardly and against the outer face of said apron, said apron being curved inwardly through its height to in-- dent the adjacent portion of said bottle wall and lock said cap on said bottle to thereby prevent removal of the cap except upon mutilation of said bottle, said apron being curved inwardly sufficiently to prevent said bead from projecting laterally beyond said rim but on a sumcientiy long radius to prevent any substantial weakening of the bottle wall, said bottle having spaced horizontal ribs below the lower end of thecap, said cap extending a suihcient distance into the bottle and said ribs being sufllciently spaced to cause said bottle to tear at the portion lying between the ribs when said cap is removed.

ROY D. HEYMANN. 

